Need advice about reel to reel tapes found in an attic

Hi,
Im hoping if anyone is able to help me here, not certain if this is the correct secton to post this if not please could admin redirect.
My son does house clearances and rubbish removals, he recently cleared out an attic for a client. He cleared out over 100 reel to reel tapes, his client told him to do what he wants with them, he has a receipt for these, Heres a list of what we have as there is two boxes of them, and would like to know what they could be worth , any help would be grateful in this matter.

Elton John 14 oct 76
Candle in the wind / Bennie and the jets / This song has no title / Grey seal / Jamaica jerk-off / Ive seen that movie before

Beatles
Back in the ussr / While my guitar gently woos / Ob-la-di ob-la-da / Get back / Dont let me down / The Ballad of john and yoko / Old brown shoe / Across the universe / The long and winding road

Beatles

Revolution / Strawberry fields forever / Penny lane / Sgt peppers lonely hearts club band / With a little help from my friends / Lucy in the sky with diamonds / A day in the life / All you need is love / I am the walrus

Beatles

Hello goodbye

The fool on the hill

Magical mystery tour

Lady madonna

Hey jude

Her comes the sun

Come together

Something

Octopus's garden

Let it be



Various

Love awakes Paul Mcartney

Rockestra Paul Mcartney

Little luck Paul Mcartney

Band on the run Paul Mcartney

All of Paul Mcartney

Born to love me Orbison

Overture Who







Beatles to Bond and back 18 sep 74



Theme ole

Elizabeth and essex

The yellow submarine suite

Prelude for strings



The Eagles greatest hits side 2

One of those nights

Take it to the limit

Peaceful easy feeling

Best of my love



The Eagles greatest hits side 1

Take it easy

Witchy woman

Lyin eyes

Already gone

Desperado



The Eagles side 2

Wasted time (reprise)

Victim of love

Pretty maids all in a row

Try and love again

The last resort



The Eagles side 1

New kid in town

Life in the fast lane

Wasted time



Gallager and Lyle 3rd nov 76



Love on the airwaves

Teardrop

I had to fall in love



Gallager and Lyle side 1 oct 75



Breakaway

Stay young

I wanna stay with you

Fifteen summers

Storm in my soul



Gallager and Lyle side 2



Sign of the times

Heart on my sleeve

Rockwriter

Northern girl

Fool of fools



Bryan Ferry may 74 Album Master



The in crowd

Walk a mile

Funny how mine

Sunshine



Spartacus



Elvis



Oct 78

Oh what a circus David Essex

Rivers of Babylon Boney M

Brown girl in the ring Boney M

Free electric band Albert Hammond

Down by the river Albert Hammond

Everything i want to do Albert Hammond



Sadistic Mika Band Hot Menu 29 july 75



With famous guitarist

Funky Majan

???? Sunrise



Crysalis side 2 Jan 73



Souvenier of london

Bringing home the bacon

Liquorice john

Fires

Roberts box


Crysalis side 1 jan 73


Grand hotel

Toujours L'amour

Run take

Tv ceaser


??

Battle hymn of the reblic


Hey jude

If i ruled the world } Tom jones

All my sorrows

Hey jude


Neil Sedaka

Greatest Hits


Test Tape 20 oct 76



Steve Wonder

Is she lovely



Top of pops 12 feb 77



2 reels in one box

Elton john



Top of the Pops part 1 30 jan 76



Julie Covington



Gallagher and Lyle 3 nov 76

Never give up on love

Dude in the dark

Head talk

Call for the captain

It only hurts when i laugh



Top pf the pops part 2 30 jan 76



Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson 5 march 79



Mama dont let your babies grow up to be cowboys

The year 2000 minus 25

Pick up the tempo

If you an touch her at all

Lookin for a feeling

Its not supposed to be that way

I can get off on you

Dont cuss the fiddle

Gold dust woman

A couple more years

The wurlitzer prize



Neil Sedaka

Greatest Hits

Our last together



Various



Who Go to the mirror

Who-

Peace trains C Stevens

Father and son C Stevens

Morning Broken C Stevens

Rivers babylon Boney M

Holiday Boney M

Street Fighting Stones

You better move on Stones

Bobby Mgee C Kristoffson



R Goodwin Dec 71 Bacharach/David side 1



San jose

Alfie

Wives x lovers

Ill never fall in love again

One less bell

Raindrops keep falling on my head


R Goodwin Dec 71 Bacharach/David


This guys in love with you

What the world needs is love

The look of love

Say a little prayer for me

Walk on by

Close to you


Mr Big part 1


Time base

Wonderful creation

Golden lights

Uncle john B

Aint been a man

Sweet silence



Mr Big Part 2



Zambia

Enjoy iy

Voilet way

Appeared

2nd ammendment



London welsh choir 25 june 75



Sloop john B

The lone and winding road

Save the last dance for me

Day by day

Take me home

He aint heavy hes my brother

God only knows

Remember then

Dock of the bay



????? Elton John



All the girls love alice

Your sister cant twist

Roy rogers

Social desease

Harmony



???? Elton John



Funeral for a friend

Love lies bleeding

Sweet painted lady

The ballad of danny bailey


Various hits of 70s

Transfer to cassette


Various july 76

Jack of diamonds Christi

Born to run Alan Clarke

Kissing in the back row Drifters

down on the beach Drifters

Hard rain Roxy Music

Smoke gets in your eyes Bryan Ferry

All the way to memphis Mott the Hoople

These foolish things Bryan Ferry


Various


America

Take with you Bogatti and Musker

Judy played the juke box Alvin Stardust

If i needed someone Gallager and Lyle

Saturday nights alright Elton John

Hotel California Eagles

Inmigrant song Neil Sedaka


Steve Wonder


7 Hancock Reels

5 full reels =10?

2 half reels


John Barry july 73


Orson wells tv theme

Lets put some music on

Walk about

The flower of the world

The glass ???

Lolita

The good times are coming

We have all the time in the world

The whisperers


Various side 1

Mrs Robinson Simon and Gartfunkle

I dont love R Orbison

Baby face L Richard

By the light moon L Richard

Take a chance Abba

On the water front P Taite

Living next to alice Smokie

Bobby Mcgee K Kristifson

Moody Blue E Presley

Beautiful noise N Diamond



side 2

N Diamond I you wat i mean

R Orbison Born to love me

E Presley Treat me nice

E Presley Dont be cruel

A Garfunkel Miss you

Dont cry for me argentina J Covington



Various June 77



Isnt she lovely Stevie wonder

They shoot horses Racing cars

Smoke gets in your eyes Bryan Ferry

???? Marmalade



Tequila sunrise Eagles

Yellow brick road Elton John

Strangers on the shore Martin Ford



Maggie May R S



Radio Top pf the pops



Gordon Neville 2 july 76



Aeroplane

Making up

Swallow

America

Showman in a showdown

High and dry

11 unboxed



Various

Great mr nice E Presley

Raining raining F Domino

Silvery moon L Richard

Sun dont shine EP aka Elvis Presley?

Baby face L Richard

Keep walkin L Richard

Gypsy woman Don Williams

Born to love R Orbison

Bobby mcgee K Kristofson

Ghetto E Presley

Suspion E Presley

Mull /k/tyre Wings

Imrecilec R Chapman

El lute Boney M

London town Wings

Going to loreal S Forbert

Old fashion song B Spears

Free elec band A Hammond

Unknown not written in

After the gold rush

All the way Memphis

Blue jeans N Diamond

Bringing flowers N/D

Holiday Boney M

Go west V People

YMCA V People

Blueberry hill F Domino

All shook up E Presley


Sailor side 2



Stiletto heels

Out of money

Hanna

Quay hotel

Mclancholy



Bugatti & Musker 17 oct 75

Side 1

Rolling on you

Canada

Song from 67

Hamburger heaven

Kid gloves

I told you



Various



YMCA V People

In the navy V People

Holiday Boney M

Ribbons and blue Roxy M





Martin Ford Jan 76



Im a man

Gone with the wind

Sneakin up behind





Martin Ford Jan 76



Life is a carnival

Unable to read this track sorry

Theme from summer place

Horny



Bugart & Musker



Side 2



Drifwood & Riverweed

Boat from calais

You got what you want from me

Do i still groove you

Making it better

Friend & brother

I want a jew





Arlo Guthrie

Best of Arlo Guthrie

Part only



Coming into los angeles

Last train

City of new orleans

Darkest hour

Last to leave



Top pf the pops Radio 1



Rose royce Car wash

Stevie wonder Naughty boy

Mike oldfield Portsmouth

Tina charles Dr love

Elvis presley Suspicion

Harold melvin

10cc Things we do for love



Plus others





Various Artists





Top of the pops 23 oct 75



Annies song

Davies on the road again

Smokey Oh Carol

Darts York City

Stones Miss You

Unable to read the rest on box





7 Reels unable to read





Various



Where do we go from here Mcneil

Something to hold on to Mcneil

Funny kind of love Mariole/Wadley

Jilly Dave Watts

The right time Tyson

When summers thru Tony De Meur





Capital Radio 4 Dec 78



Continuous music special





Drifters Nov 74



Kissing in back row

Im free for the rest of my life

Cant live without you

If it feels good do it

Blessings in disguise

Down on the beach



Racing Cars 5 Feb 77

Sylias mother Dr Hook

Do i believe Hot Chocolate

Me and bobby magee Kris Kristofison

Jeans on David Dundas

Island girl Elton John

Blinded by the light Manfred man

Together Oc smith

Peggy sue B Holly

Oh boy B Holly

Rave on B Holly

Emily in morny B Holly





B/W Leader Bad Level May 77



Bad copys of records



Moody blue E Presley

Alright Mr Big

Traffic jam Sailor

This ole heart of mine Rod Stewart

Sailing Rod Stewart ( Drop out in centre)

Me and bobby mcgee Kris Kristofison

Alice Smokie

Lay back Smokie









7 in boxes unable to read them



5 empty boxes but no reels so do not know if the ones that are not in boxes belong to them as the boxes have writing on them but are empty.

Various Nov 77

Lucille Kenny Rogers

First Cut Rod Stewart

Runaway G & Lyle

Sittin in the back row Drifters

For the dun to find Mr Big

Down on the beach Drifters

Make me smile Steve Harley


Thank you all.

 

I forgot to add that the Hancock ones have written on them Hancock A, Hancock B Hancock C etc

 

If you can find someone with a reel to reel recorder, check they are working; tape gets brittle with time, and the magnetic tape can disintegrate. Provided they are playable, the originals (I.e.the ones with tape boxes and printed labels on the reels) will have some interest, if not value, to some collectors. There's always a market for unusual Beatles stuff. Its not quite a goldmine you'd expect though, unless they are in perfect condition. Check discogs.com to see if they have your format there, and compare prices

The home taped stuff is pretty much worthless except as spare reels to sell on eBay. I buy these myself occasionally for historical interest, but just search for used reel to reels in any auction site and therere hundreds of listings.

If you don't want to sell them, get a used recorder and fix it up for hours of fun!

 

That list indicates that they are home recorded reels which are basically worthless for the music. If the attic was as hot as most attics, the tape has probably disintegrated quite a lot so they probably aren't even worth anything for the tape itself.

 

Thank you for your comments, PretzelLogic they are each in boxes and have labels on them, I shall take a look at the link you suggested. Wish i did know someone with a reel to reel tape recorder i would love to hear these played.
Many thanks

 

I failed to mention that the client was an engineer/producer for a recording studio and used to party with elvis, elton john etc so these are not home recordings
Many thanks

 

General questions for all, from someone obviously lacking any knowledge (me):

1. Do the dates on this list represent radio broadcasts of the "standard" album recordings?
2. Or, are they live performances?
3. If live performances (whether Live On Air in the studio, or recorded at a venue), have these been previously released, or documented, elsewhere?
4. Perhaps these recordings might be of superior quality?

Just some thoughts that occurred, especially in light of the OP's acknowledgement that the previous owner was an engineer/producer.

 

^^ +1

 

These are good questions if you say they are not home recordings...what are they?

 

I think op is confused, and these are just mix tapes made at home, probably from records. I see these all the time, and they're fun but ultimately worthless.

 

Just a mix of unsubstantiated wishful thinking, and excessive optimism, on my part...
Reading more closely at the lengthy list-
You're right, probably just home recordings....
I just hope they are researched thoroughly

 

If they have details such as 15ips, CCIR/IEC/NAB eq, +_db etc. on the boxes then they could possibly be production or radio copies, but if not, as has been suggested, they are probably home recorded, and therefore only of value as reusable media.

 

What advice are you looking for?

 

Some pictures would be helpful.

 

They are probably worthless home recordings, but some pictures of the boxes, reels and any details written on them should be enough to confirm that, or suggest if they are something better and more interesting.

Although 99 times out of 100 they will be worthless I've seen enough masters come out of lofts, cupboards and garages to know it does happen.

 

If they were owned by a recording studio engineer who worked with major artists, they could be anything, maybe not just home recordings. I think that amanda246, the original poster, should take them to a University music department and ask them if they can figure out what he has. For example, the Marr Sound Archives at the University of Missouri-Kansas City would be a good place for something like that.

I suggest a University setting because if amanda246 takes them to a commercial place, and it turns out that these are valuable studio masters of rare recordings, amanda246 could easily get ripped off by someone with slightly less than honorable motives.

 

Probably a very important key point. Still, that doesn't necessarily mean that these aren't just recordings made from publicly available LP's and bootlegs.

Might be impossible to really know unless you actually listen to them.

 

Are you saying that there's crooks in the business community? Whaaaat?? !! No way!!!!!

 

Pictures should reveal everything, including whether they need baking, if it's NAB reels of Ampex at 15 or 30 ips with proper notes then he may have something, if it's small domestic reels at 7.5 ips then they are almost certainly worthless.

 

It just occurred to me. In the event that these reel to reel tapes, owned by a recording studio engineer, contain rare Beatles sessions, never before heard by the public, we have the world's greatest community of Beatles recordings experts here. Starting with our host, Steve Hoffman.

 

We've used two or three transfer houses and they have all been 100% straight, the only people I've heard bad stories about have been non professionals.

 

Working in a studio take nothing for granted. Ignore anything that indicates from albums. Some of these sound as if they could be live or early work tapes. If so you may have something. Get someone who knows the London music scene to check them out.

 

Thank you all for your comments, We just want to know what we may have and if they could be of any value and what is the best advice for us to take aboard about these reel to reel tapes, We do not know how to play them as we do not have a machine to do this, and we would not attempt to either and this would have to be done professionally but its finding out where. We only know they have been in storage for over 40+ years and that the client knew the artists some before they were famous and partied with many of them, and he had disc's on his wall for his work, I do not believe any are home recordings, We do not know anyone in the music scene that is why i joined here in hope that maybe someone is able to help us.
many thanks

 

You should really get these digitised professionally as soon as possible!

 

Thank you Klassik, but we have no idea where to take them to have this done, to be honest im not clued up on any of this at all, I do not have any knowledge on reel to reel tapes and what they need done to them, But i would love to listen to a few of them, but its knowing where to take them to, so we are at a lost at the moment, we just need a direction we can go towards and maybe take it from there
many thanks